Multiple pole switch for tariff clocks



Nov. 6, 1951 wm 2,574,308

MULTIPLE POLE SWITCH FOR TARIFF CLOCKS Filed Feb. 4, 1948 //v VEN TORf/e/vsr W/DMER 5y WW, V2123 #Qmq TORNL' Y5 Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED*STATES PATENT "OFFICE J l The present invention relates' to an improvedmultiple'pole-switch'suchas may be used;- for instance, with tariifclocks, timeswitcheswand the like.

Objects and advantages or theinveiition will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part be obvious herefrom, or maybe lear'h' d Y-D b? Itice with the invention, the samebeing realized} andattained' by meansof the 'instrumentalities andjcombi'nations'pointed-out in the appendedclaiins The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions,arrangements, combinations and im-' provements herein shown anddescribed.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and together with thedescription, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

The invention has for its object the provision of a multiple pole switchcapable of handling large outputs but of compact shape and design.Another object is the provision of a multiple pole switch the movablecontacts of which are mounted for movement by a single cam element in aplane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cam element andtoward and away from said axis.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view with certain parts broken away of a typical andillustrative embodiment of the switch of the invention shown in use witha clock switch, only so much of the latter being shown as is necessaryfor an understanding of the invention; and,

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, a switch disc I of the switch is, as usual,provided with switching pins 2 which act on a switch star wheel 3. Theswitch star wheel 3 coacts, by means which are conventional andtherefore not shown, with the nose pieces 4 of a conventional releasedevice 5, 6. 5 is a disc which carries the nose pieces 4 and which isfirmly fixed on a spindle l carrying a cam 8 formed of insulatingmaterial. 6 is a housing or case for a spring which is in workingconnection on the one hand with the disc 5 and on the other hand througha gearing 8 with the axis of the switch disc I.

The cam 8 has three arms, corresponding in number to the number ofcontact members or poles, and is located in a recess of a member [0 ofinsulating material. This member I0 of insulating material serves as thecarrier member of the switch a'rid by thee'xte'rna'l" walls "H thereof1i and by inter'nar walls 12, three chambersare' formed therein? Intoeach of these" chambers there project, in i grooves arranged in the basethereof, two current carrying strips [3, l4 bent upwardly at their innerends. Each strip'l3 carries at its bent end a contactlS forming thefixed pole of a contact member. When the switch is closed there rests'against "each'contact 15 a contact [5 forming the" movable pole of thecontact member. Each'con tact I6 is carried at the free end of a leafspring I! which is curved or bent in hooked form and is fixed to thebent-up end of the strip 14. Thin strips N3 of copper connected to theleaf spring IT on the strip M or with the contact 16 ensure a goodconduction of current from the strip M to the contact l6. Between eachcontact l6 and its copper strip I8 there is also fixed an angularly bentmetal strip IS, the free end of which projects into the path of movementof the arms of the cam 8.

The member Ii! of insulating material may be closed at its top by acover of insulating material, not shown, which can be fixed by means ofscrews fitted in screw holes 20 in the member ID.

In operation the spring in the housing or case 6 is tensioned throughthe gearing 9. When a switching pin 2 comes into contact with an arm ofthe switch star wheel 3 it rotates this wheel until it is clear of thesaid arm and thus the switch star Wheel brings the release device 5, Binto operation so that the cam 8 is freed for a partial rotation andraises the outer ends of the metal strips l9. In this way the movablecontacts l6 are moved away from the fixed contacts [5, i. e., the switchis opened. When the next switching pin 2 engages the switch star wheel 3the cam 8 again undergoes a partial rotation and moves clear of the endsof the metal strips l9 which are enabled to move to the position shownin full lines in Figure 1, whereby the movable contacts l6 are carriedin the paths directed towards the spindle or switch axis 1 and theswitch is again closed.

The arrangement of the paths of the movable pole parts of a switch in acommon plane intersecting perpendicularly the axis of the switch and allthe movable contacts or pole parts being controlled by a single cam,permits of constructing a switch for a large output (30-5DA) of smallconstructional dimensions, in particular the width, which with the knownswitches, must be large owing to the arrangement of cams in alignmentfor the separate movable contacts.

A difierent form of construction from that shown can be used. Thus, themovable contacts could be arranged on levers which lie adjacent to eachother in a plane perpendicular to the switch axis and each of which israised by one stage of the common cam.

With the embodiment shown the result is attained that the constructionaldimensions can a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of bekept very small both in height and depth, since the movable contacts arearranged in star form about the switch axisfll. The internal partitionwalls I2 with lateralprojections |2a thereof oiTer good protection bothagainst flashing-over and against surface leakage currents.

The invention is not limited to a triple pole construction as describedand shown for the poles can be as many as desired, and the switch,

could also be, for example a double-pole one.

The invention in its broader aspects is not o limited to the specificmechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom,within the scope of the accompanying claim, without departing from theprinciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chie advantages.7 e

What is claimed is:

An electrical switch comprising, in combination, an insulated basemember having side Walls and a central chamber, a cam element in thechamber rotatable about an axis, three sets of 30 cooperating stationaryand movable contacts "ment, a curved leaf spring for each movablecontact mounting said contacts for movement in said cam element saidsprings being arranged to curve about said reentrant walls, and curvedengagement members one secured to each movable contact, curved about asaid reentrant wall and having an end adjacent said cam element forengagement thereby to actuate said movable contacts,

ERNST WIDMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,384,533 Leake July 12, 19211,499,829 Kreutzer et a1. July 1, 1924 2,243,566 Kimball May 2'], 19412,317,967 Tuttle Apr. 2'7, 1943 Bryant Oct. 16, 1945

